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Some Comments from Graduates of EOU’s Psychology Program

The Psychology program at EOU helped prepare me for my job by giving me foundational skills I use daily as a school counselor, as well as a deeper understanding of the human psyche. The instructors were both challenging and supportive, which allowed for me to grow and be successful. The preparation I received at EOU allowed for a smooth transition to graduate school and into the work force.

Casi R., School Counselor, ID

Working (in a faculty lab) opened the door for me to get into graduate school. Having the experience working as a research assistant made me more marketable and gave me the knowledge that I needed to make it into graduate school. And I believe that had I not have that experience I wouldn’t have been able to finish my education. And now as a professor I try to make sure that my students have a chance of getting the same experience that I had, so that this experience can also open the doors for them as it did for me.

Beth W., Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies, IL

I am truly blessed to have been part of the EOU Psychology program. With the help of such a supportive staff, the program gave me the tools needed in order to pursue a career as a school counselor.

Jaclynn W., GEAR UP Coordinator, WA

What I gained at EOU was experience, knowledge, confidence, and the opportunity to further myself. The staff in the psychology department prepared me both professionally and personally to succeed. I really can’t say enough about them. Dr. Timmermann pulled me in and kept me interested, Dr. Balaban challenged me to be better, Dr. Lyons opened my eyes to the possibilities, and Dr. Ettinger made me believe in myself and expanded my knowledge. All of them played a key role in my future. I was given the opportunity to conduct and present my research as well as experiment with different fields of psychology. I currently work as a school psychologist and feel proud that I work in this field. I continue to further my education, however, it all began at Eastern. I’m glad I was a part of the department and still consider them family.

Gahlya A., Ed.S., NCSP (School Psychologist), WA

The EOU Psychology program helped prepare me for my current job because it provided me with the ability to communicate effectively, manage my time to complete projects, conduct independent research, and provided me with the tools necessary to bridge the gap between adults and youth in the community.

Christina C., WSC AmeriCorps, WA

…for the past 8 years, I’ve been a counselor at a local mental health and addictions treatment agency. As a counselor, I am frequently asked by my clients why people do the things they do. My education through the EOU psychology program did not enable me to answer that question, but it did teach me something much more important than that. My education provided me with the knowledge that human behavior is a complicated, multi-faceted thing, but it isn’t impossible to understand. My clients are helped by hearing about the studies I read about that were done on rats, and how that relates to their own trauma. They are comforted when I refer to the statistical analysis of a study to indicate why I believe this particular treatment would be best for them. But, most of all, they are reassured by the empathy and understanding that I express to them, utilizing the basic counseling skills that were taught to me as part of my coursework… I have been very impressed with the quality of education I received, and believe it to be very comparable to that of a much larger University. If I had to do it over again, I would still choose Eastern Oregon University’s Psychology program.

Kim M., Alcohol and Drug Counselor, OR

The Eastern Oregon University Psychology program gave me a great foundation to start my career as a therapist. The staff was supportive and helpful. I could not have asked for a better experience for my undergraduate degree.

Courtney F., Dual Diagnosis Therapist, OR

As an EOU alum, I can say without equivocation that the program, faculty, and fellow students have helped fuel my inspiration, passion, and drive to succeed in my career path. I received a full time job in the field days after I applied, and finished my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. There seems to be nowhere my education won’t take me. The knowledge and mentorship I have gained has been irreplaceable, and I am confident in my professional identity because of the opportunities I received. Your psych department professors will truly care about your success, just as much as you do. Attending EOU has been hands down one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

The balance of academics and real world applications of psychology has served me well. I started graduate school with an advantage over my classmates from other universities. The difference was apparent in several classes. Further, the foundation developed with the Psychology Department at EOU is something that I’ve drawn from countless times as a school psychologist, and as a trainer of parents working towards child-custody plans.

Stephen K., School Psychologist, WA

I obtained my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Eastern Oregon University before obtaining a masters degree in Psychology (concentrating in cognitive neuroscience) at the University of Oregon. So what sets the EOU psychology department apart from other programs? First and foremost is the professors will teach your classes themselves. [At larger universities] graduate students teach a majority of the classes… Another benefit is the class sizes… I remember most of my upper division classes at EOU having maybe 20 – 30 students at most and sometimes 15 – 20 as well. This creates an environment that enables one to build personal rapports with their classmates and professors and enables better feedback (i.e., structured learning opportunities) between both parties as well…The psych program at EOU taught me what I needed to know about the overall research process. From conducting literature reviews, to creating and running experiments to writing APA style articles. I’d say 50 – 60% of the masters students in my class struggled with their own personal research projects because they did not have the formal background. And comments I heard from them were that most of their classes (some at so called prestigious programs) were scantron tests, not essay questions, writing assignments, labs, etc. Also the curriculum is well versed. Meaning the professors do a great job of presenting the information in a way that you will retain the knowledge. As with life nothing is free. You have to put effort forth, but if you do you will be well rewarded. I breezed through psychology graduate level courses due to my previous knowledge that I learned at EOU. I ended up taking close to 20 credits of graduate level statistics in other programs just to challenge myself and gain more knowledge. All in all if you like an atmosphere that is welcoming, more affordable than most universities, community minded, and one of the most majestic environments in Oregon I would highly suggest applying for the psychology program at Eastern Oregon University.

I would say the small class sizes and the accessibility of faculty helped me to fully explore my interests and develop my goals. I was better prepared than my classmates in graduate school in the areas of assessment and research design. My career has required strong leadership skills, which I began to develop with the individual attention afforded at EOU.

Abby K., Clinical Psychology Ph.D.

I graduated from EOU in 2012; I loved how small my classes were, and felt as if my psychology professors truly cared about my education. I currently work as a Community Based Rehabilitation Specialist at a Mental Health Agency and just got accepted into Idaho State University’s Master of Mental Health Counseling program.